Not only does she juggle track and cheerleading throughout the year, senior Katie Eastman is also taking a heavy course load complete with honors Art IV and AP Art V.
Eastman has been involved in tumbling and dancing since she was three. She was also on Hoover’s gymnastics team during her freshman and sophomore years. Eastman also said she was involved in several dance classes during the time she was in gymnastics.
Eastman said she began cheering in elementary school for North.
“I wanted to play flag football, but my parents wouldn’t let me because they didn’t want me to get hurt,” she said.
When cheering for North ended in seventh grade, Eastman tried out for cheerleading at the middle school. She has continued her cheering career at Hoover and has been a cheerleader since her freshman year.
Eastman said she was happy to finally be a senior and be able to have more input in the cheerleading routines.
“We really want to make an impression in our school to show that we’re not just…whiny, stereotypical cheerleaders on the sidelines, we actually care about our school and we want to put forth effort,” she said.
Eastman also said cheerleading is more involved than what students see.
“Behind the scenes we do so much for the guys,” she said.
Aside from cheerleading, Eastman is also involved in track. She does long jump, the open 200 and two relays: the 4x100 and 4x200. She is part of a broken record for the 4x100. Eastman said although track is hard work, she looks forward to “pushing [herself] to the limit and getting better every season” and is considering pursuing track in college.
Eastman will be going to Ohio University in the fall, although she considered many options.
Eastman’s mother, Mrs. Susan Eastman, said part of Eastman’s struggle in choosing a school had to do with her great school spirit.
“She’s always enjoyed going to school and being a part of the school,” she said. “She doesn’t want to be stereotyped and boxed into one group because she has so many different interests and she’s proud of all of them.”
Eastman’s interests do not only include cheerleading and track, she also loves to play video games.
“[Video games are] just a weakness of mine,” she said.
Eastman said she is considering going into graphic design in college, even though she has not taken any interactive media classes at Hoover. She is also interested in concept art and animation.
“It’s a long stretch and I don’t even know if I’ll be good at it,” she said.
Susan Eastman believes Eastman can fit in almost anywhere.
“From the time she was little, she could do about anything she put her mind to,” she said. “I’ve never heard her say, ‘I can’t.’”
She also said Eastman’s tenacity also has a lot to do with her success.
“She has a lot of natural talent but she also works very hard at what she does,” Susan Eastman said. “Even from a young age her determination to do really well at whatever she tried was always there.”
Mrs. Janet Baran, who has had Eastman for Art II, Art IV and AP Art V, is very proud of her student.
“She’s won an award for every show I’ve put her in since I can remember,” she said.
Baran also said Eastman is very humble about her work..
“She’s probably one of the most caring people I have,” she said. “She’s very focused on her work and I don’t think she realizes how good she is.”
Recently, Eastman received the Governor’s Art Award for Excellence and was chosen in the top 25 out of over 12,000 applicants.
Eastman said she also enjoys time with her family. She has a younger sister, Rachel and an older brother, Matthew. Her parents, Susan and Jeff Eastman both attended Hoover and were high school sweethearts.
“They’ve always been super supportive,” she said. “They’ve given me so many opportunities in life.”
Susan Eastman said as a family, they go on vacations, have game nights, cookouts and go boating and tubing.
“We’ve always put family first and our time together is very special,” she said.
Eastman’s best friend, senior Erica Cornell, who first met Eastman in third grade, said she is very glad to be friends with her.
“She always knows how to make me laugh. She always brings out the best in people,” she said.
The two are both cheerleaders and in track together. Cornell said Eastman’s personality makes her very likable.
“She’s very giggly and she’s very athletic and she is always positive and always offers lots of encouragement no matter what the situation is,” she said.
Cornell also said no matter what they are doing, she and Eastman always have fun together.
“We can drive around aimlessly on Friday night and still have lots of fun,” she said.
Susan Eastman believes her daughter can succeed in anything she attempts.
“She’s humble and...modest but…she has this belief in herself and she’s never intimidated by anything,” she said. “She has this kind of quiet inner self confidence that I really admire.”